Draft regulator



Feb. 12, 1963 w. F. STEINEN DRAFT REGULATOR Original Filed Dec. 20, 1956 FIG.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

4 404 F. Jew/av ATTORNEY Feb. 12, 1963 w. F. STEINEN- 07 DRAFT REGULATOR Original Filed Dec. 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I /,,,,An

ATTOR NE Y Feb. 12, 1963 w. F. STEINEN 3,077,305

DRAFT REGULATOR Original Filed Dec. 20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY illnited rates hates rt 3,677,395 DRAFT REGULATQR William in. Steinem, d3 Bruen Stu, Newark, NJ. Qriginai application Bee. 2%, 1956, Set. No. 6259,6534, now Patent No. 2,994,255, dated Mar, 35, 18 59. Divided and this appiication June 39, 1959, Ser. No. 823,979 3 till/aims. (ill. 236 455 The present invention relates to a draft regulator and it particularly relates to a device for regulating the balance of the draft regulator.

In the manufacture and sale of large size draft regulators, due to the variation in the thickness of metal, thickness of paint and other factors, which variations would be negligible with small size draft regulators, there found to be considerable variation at the factory in the balance of the device.

It is desirable that this balance be corrected by means of a permanent adjustment which can be readily made without, at the same time, interfering with the adjustments for settings of draft settings which may be made in the field.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a simple, convenient adjustment which will permit permanent factory balancing which thereafter will not be subject to tampering in the field, with a separate provision permitting ready consumer adjustment in the field to regulate the draft of the device.

Another ob ect of the present invention is to provide a novel precision factory balancing arrangement for draft regulators which will accommodate variations in weight of the various parts or of the materials applied by way of finish or paint thereto and which will give assurance that the devicewill retain its factory adjustment permanently without likely derangement in the field.

Still further objects and advantages will appear in the more detailed description set forth below, it being understood, however, that this more detailed description is given by way of illustration and explanation only and not by way of limitation, since various changes therein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the present invention. in accomplishing the above objects according to one embodiment of the present invention, the regulator has the external sleeve or thirnble shape to lit a main draft pipe or conduit with a swinging vane or gate positioned at the front portion or the inlet portion of the draft regulator thimble.

In the design of the present application, it has been found desirable to provide the balance of the swinging gate or vane so that the hinge points are substantially below the geometrical center, as Well as the center of gravity, of the swinging vane.

Desirably the hinge point is about one-half to on third the way from the geometrical center to the lower edge of the vane and is two-thirds to one-half the way below the center of gravity of the swinging vane.

accomplishing this type of positioning, it has been found desirable to have the upper portion of the swinging gate or vane wider and of substantially greater weight by about five to twenty-five percent than the lower onehalf of the swinging vane below the center of gravity.

The present invention is particularly directed to the permanent factory balancing means which is desirably positioned on the lower part of the gate or vane substantially below both the geometrical center and of the center of gravity as Well as below the hinge point or axis.

in the preferred arrangement, this permanent factory adjustment is positioned midway between the hinge point and the lover edge of the swinging vane.

In the preferred constructions, there is provided at the permanent balanced position, a device for carrying a through-member consisting of a threaded bolt or rod which extends through the swinging vane or gate.

This bolt or rod is provided with weights positioned at its ends substantially forwardly of and substantially 'rearw-ardly of the swinging vane or gate.

These weights may be regulated or adjusted in respect to their spacing from the front or back of the swinging gate or vane and will desirably provide sufficient field for consumer regulation.

The important feature of the present invention consists in an arrangement by means of which the weighting means for draft adjustment in the field or by the consumer may be varied in position or changed in location in respect to the hinge point, the center of gravity and the geometical center of the swinging gate or vane and permanently be set in such adjusted position to prevent subse quent inadvertent readjustment or maladjustment or advertent or inadvertent tampering. I

, In oneform the weighted rod which may be threaded throughout its length extends obliquely through a square nut set in the lower portion of the vane or gate and this not is carried by a sandwiched construction consisting of plates positioned forwardly and rearwardly of the vention consists of a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter will be more specifically described, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown an embodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views:

PEG. 1 is a front elevational view of one form of draft regulator according to the present invention with the assembled adjustment being shown at the lower central portion of the swinging gate or vane.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevational view upon the line 2-2 of FIG. 1 upon enlarged scale as compared to FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 but upon an enlarged scale so as to more clearly show the sandwich construction.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view taken upon the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 of the lower part of the vane or gate after the calibration has been made with the various elements removed therefrom.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view taken on the line 55 of FIG. 3, of the front sandwich plate removed from the assembly of FIGS. 1 to 3 and upon enlarged scale as con1- pared to FEGS. 1 and 2.

MG. 6 is a top view taken upon the line ti6 of FIG. 3 of the out which is carried by the sandwich plates which is shown in front view in FIG. 1 and in side view in FIGS. 2 and 3, FIG. 6 being an enlarged View as compared to FIGS. 1 and 2.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 6, the external cylindrical frame or thimble A receives the swinging vane B having a geometrical center C and a center of gravity D somewhat above the geometrical center because of the widened contour, both the geometrical center C and the center of gravity D are well above the hinge line B.

The swinging vane B is provided with the hinges F,

the closed stop G and the open stop H and the side hinge plates I.

Extending through the vane or gate, desirably obliquely and downwardly forwardly, is the adjustable bar or red K which is weighted at the ends by a forward weight L and a rearward weight M.

The bar or rod K, as shown, is desired to be threaded and rotated therefor backwardly or forwardly through the swinging vane B but it is also possible to move the weights L and M individually or together in respect to the swinging vane or gate B or to have a sliding arrangement instead of a threaded arrangement.

The important feature of the present invention resides in the vertical adjustment indicated at P in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, which includes a nut Q carried by the forward sandwich plate R and the rearward sandwich plate S.

This adjustment may be locked in position at T, once it has been calibrated at the factory, so as to be permanent and be proof against subsequent maladjustment or readjustment. 7

Referring specifically to the vane or gate B, it will be noted that it reaches its maximum diameter and width at the points Id and H above the geometrical center C so as to elevate the center of gravity D.

The side vertical portions 12 are formed by the inturned flanges I which are provided with circular openings 13 receiving fixed studs 14 which project outwardly from the hinged cylinders 15 held in the U-shaped brackets 16.

The brackets 16 are mounted on the support structures 17 forming part of the external frame. The support structures are permanently welded to the external housing 10. The thimble is held in position around housing by bolts 18.

The eccentric hinging arrangement 13, 14; gives an automatic wiping or cleaning ettect to the vane or gate as it swings about the hinging structure F.

The vane or gate B, as shown in upright position, will contact and be stopped against the lug G which is stamped out of the side structure 17 while the curved edge 19 will contact the lug Has the gate swings in the direction 20 to act as an open stop, the lug H also being stamped out of the side structure 17.

The threaded rod or sleeve K is shown as carrying the weights L, M simultaneously moving rearwardly or forwardly together.

The nut, as shown in FIGS. 3 to 6, has an obliquely cut-off rear face 3t) which is parallel to the plane of the vane B and it has the front face 31 and the side faces 32 which are oblique to the plane of the vane or gate B.

Through the center of the nut is the tapped passageway 33 through which the screw rod K may be adjusted.

The rear face 30 is stepped at 34 and the stepped portion is received inthe opening 35 in the rear sandwich plate S and then peened over or welded to hold it permanently in position.

The rear sandwich plate S will be connected by the upper bolt and the lower bolt 38 to the front sandwich plate R.

The front sandwich plate has a relatively wide central rectangular opening 39 through which the nut Q will project as shown in FIG. 3. It also has an upper opening it) for the bolt 37 and a lower opening 41 for the bolt 38.

These bolts 37 and 38 will extend through the upper and lower slots 42 and 43 in the lower narrow vane section 44.

Between the slots 42 and 43 will be a relatively wide opening 45 which will give suihcient space to make upward and downward adjustment of the nut Q.

This adjustment will permit factory balancing of the vane or gate B and then the sandwich construction with the nut may be clamped by tightening the nuts 47 (see 1 16753).

However, to lock the device in its calibrated position, the front sandwich plate R has a hole 4-8 to receive a drive stud or a drive screw T which may be driven through the lower portion 44 of the vane and the rear sandwich plate S leaving the hole 49 in the vane portion 44.

This drive pin or drive screw T, when driven in position through the metal vane B, and the rear sandwich plate S, will constitute a permanent fixation of the calibration and the head 50 may be painted red or some distinctive color to indicate that such permanent adjustment has been made.

It is thus apparent that the applicant has provided a factory adjustment by chan wing and then fixing the vertical positioning of a weight adjustment of a draft regulator vane, and if desired a finer adjustment of the draft regulation device may be left for the consumer.

This is preferably accomplished by vertical movement of a carrier for the rod, sleeve or bar, which carries the forward and rearward Weights, the position of which in respect to the vane, control the vane balance.

This major adjustment may be locked in position at the factory against subsequent tampering and when made will calibrate the device against variations due to varying materials and finished used in manufacture.

The invention of the present application as diagrammatically illustrated by FIGS. 4 and 5 resides in the system provided for putting the rectangular opening or recess 39 in the right place in respect to the much larger rectangular recess 45 in the swinging vane B.

The sandwich plate R is first adjusted in respect to the opening -45 and is only fixed in position by the openings 48 and 49 after the vane has been balanced.

The permanent lock which takes place through the openings 48 and 49 consists of a rivet or permanent pin 50, having shank 7, which is permanently mounted in position eliminating any further adjustment and giving a tamper-proof plate balancer arrangement.

To summarize, the front sandwich plate R is the adjustable plate which is fixed in position by the rivet or pin 50 at the locking or factory calibrating position T.

The back sandwich plate S provides a carrier for the nut Q, and the opening is just sufficient to receive the nut Q, the rear end of which is peened over by the shoulder 34 on the edges of the opening in the sandwich plate S.

The openings in the vane on the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, are much wider than the opening 39 as is also indicated in FIG. 3 so that the opening 39 may be adjusted in respect to the opening 45 to a position where the proper balance is achieved.

The present application is a division of application Ser. No. 629,654, filed December 20, 1956, now Patent No. 2,904,255.

The stops G and H form no part of the present inventron and the stop G as shown in FIG. '2 will stop the vane B in closing position while the stop H will close the vane in opening position. The stop H projects from the side structure 17 to in back of the vane B. The sandwich plates R and S are identical in shape and size as shown in FIG. 3 except that the rectangular opening in plate S is offset slightly as shown in FIG. 3. The opening 48 is in the front plate R but it will not be formed in the vane B nor in the rear sandwich plate 5 until the rivet or drive pin T has been driven into position. The nut Q is of square or rectangular cross section to closely fit the openings 39 in the front and back sandwich plates R and S.

While there has been herein described a preferred form of the invention, it should be understood that the same may be altered in details and in relative arrangement of parts within the scope of the appended claims.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is:

1. In a draft regulator of the type having a swinging vane, said vane receiving an adjustable weighting member and having in vertical axial alignment in the lower central portion thereof, a central rectangular opening and upper and lower slotted openings above and below the central opening, front and back sandwich plates to fit and clamp upon the front, and back of the lower central portion of the vane, each sandwich plate having in vertical alignment a central rectangular opening and upper and lower aligned bolt receiving openings, bolts in said openings, a rectangular cross section obliquely positioned threaded nut held in said sandwich plate central openings and movable upwardly and downwardly in respect to the vane and an offset drive pin extending through said plates and vane to fixe the vanes and plate in an adjusted position and a threaded rod carrying end Weights and obliquely positioned in respect to and extending through said vane and said nut.

2. The regulator of claim 1, said nut having a recessed rear portion and said rear portion being peened to the rear sandwich plate and the cross section of said nut closely fitting the sandwich plate central openings and said offset drive pin being positioned alongside of the upper bolt receiving opening.

3. The regulator of claim 1, said bolts and said nut being adjustable vertically in said openings in said vane prior to insertion of said drive pin and after insertion of said drive pin, said adjustment being achieved by varying the position of the threaded rod in the nut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,428 Prichard May 10, 1927 2,179,940 Lawson Nov. 14, 1939 2,182,625 Field Dec. 5, 1939 2,820,317 Kozak June 24, 1958 

1. IN A DRAFT REGULATOR OF THE TYPE HAVING A SWINGING VANE, SAID VANE RECEIVING AN ADJUSTABLE WEIGHTING MEMBER AND HAVING IN VERTICAL AXIAL ALIGNMENT IN THE LOWER CENTRAL PORTION THEREOF, A CENTRAL RECTANGULAR OPENING AND UPPER AND LOWER SLOTTED OPENINGS ABOVE AND BELOW THE CENTRAL OPENING, FRONT AND BACK SANDWICH PLATES TO FIT AND CLAMP UPON THE FRONT, AND BACK OF THE LOWER CENTRAL PORTION OF THE VANE, EACH SANDWICH PLATE HAVING IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT A CENTRAL RECTANGULAR OPENING AND UPPER AND LOWER ALIGNED BOLT RECEIVING OPENINGS, BOLTS IN SAID OPENINGS, A RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION OBLIQUELY POSITIONED THREADED NUT HELD IN SAID SANDWICH PLATE CENTRAL OPENINGS AND MOVABLE UPWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY IN RESPECT TO THE VANE AND AN OFFSET DRIVE PIN EXTENDING THROUGH SAID PLATES AND VANE TO FIX THE VANES AND PLATE IN AN ADJUSTED POSITION AND A THREADED ROD CARRYING END WEIGHTS AND OBLIQUELY POSITIONED IN RESPECT TO AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID VANE AND SAID NUT. 